Beatles: Come Together Meaning
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1TOP RATED
anonymous Aug 23rd 2008, 21:50 report
OK, the meaning of the lyrics are actually quite clear and relevant if you know some history about the Beatles and are somewhat familiar with the idioms and slang of the era:
1st verse:
"HERE COME OL' FLAT-TOP,
HE COME GROOVIN' UP SLOWLY.
HE GOT HAIR DOWN TO HIS KNEE,
GOT TO BE A JOKER HE JUST DO WHAT HE PLEASE."
This verse references Ringo. "Flat-Top" makes reference to Ringo's bluesy musical roots and the disparaging stereotype that was often applied to those that played that style of music.
"Groovin' up slowly" refers to the fact that Ringo was the last to join the final and 'official' line-up of the band, yet his drumming ability was very limited and borderline acceptable at the beginning, especially compared to the abilities of the rest of the band. As he honed his skill, he slowly became better and better at holding down the beat of the music, or 'groove' as it was also loosely referred to. As the group continued to record and release music, his talent slowly came up to the standards of the other three.
"He got hair down to his knee" simply refers to the fact that Ringo had a longer, shaggy hairstyle when he joined the band, while the other three had the short, close-cropped style favored by the 'mods' of the day.
"Got to be a joker he just do what he please" is obvious: Ringo was the funny one, the 'cut-up' of the group and he often said and did bizzarre and unexpected things in formal situations the group found themselves in during the early years. His enthusiastic, upbeat attitude was a major influence of the early writings of John and Paul.
Verse #2:
"HE WEAR NO SHOE-SHINE,
HE GOT TOE-JAM FOOTBALL.
HE GOT MONKEY-FINGER,
HE SHOOT COCA-COLA.
HE SAY I KNOW YOU, YOU KNOW ME.
ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU IS YOU GOT TO BE FREE.
The subject of this verse is George. "He wear no shoe-shine" is a reference to going to bare-foot, a quite-common state of dress that George adopted once he became so enamored of the Indian Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Bare feet and simple robes were the accepted dress of the followers of the Yogi, and George's influence quickly spread to the other three Beatles.
Toe-Jam football is just a reference to bare-foot 'soccer' style football playing, the common social outdoor activity practiced by many while worshipping at the yogi's temple.
"Monkey-Finger" refers to George's manual dexterity and amazing abilty to master many, many different styles of stringed intruments, notably the 'sitar', an almost unknown instrument at the time that he was introduced to and quickly learned how to play while worshipping at the yogi's temple.
"He shoot coca-cola" is obvious: 'coca-cola' is street-slang for cocaine, a drug that George, as well as the others, would often 'shoot up' directly into thier veins.
"I know you, you know me...we got to be free" is simply the basic premise of the entire teachings of the Yogi, that George was so whole-heartadly promoting to his fellow bandmates.
"COME TOGETHER RIGHT NOW...OVER ME" refers to the message the Yogi deleivered to the band asa group that would supposedly heal the growing rift and dissention between the four members of the band and unite them as a single cohesive unit once again.
Verse #3:
"HE BAD (NOT 'BAG') PRODUCTION,
HE GOT WALRUS GUM-BOOT.
HE GOT ONO SIDEBOARD,
HE ONE SPINAL CRACKER,
HE GOT FEET DOWN BELOW HIS KNEE,
HOLD YOU IN HIS ARMCHAIR YOU CAN FEEL HIS DISEASE.
No questions about this one, it's about John all the way:
"Bad production" refers to John's increasing level of drug use and the negative effect it had on his abilty to effectivly create acceptable music with the rest of the band, and to function with the rest of the band.
John was the 'Walrus' referred to in the 'I am the Walrus; lyrics', clearly this refers to him.(notwithstanding the later lyric 'the walrus was Paul' from "Glass onion")
A 'sideboard' is the term used when attorneys would be called away from a trial during court for private discussion. "Ono sideboard" makes refernce to the growing distraction that the rest of the band felt Yoko Ono was having on John.
John's increasing uncooperative attitude towards the professional and musical direction the rest of the band wanted to follow manifested itself in John constantly griping and complaining to the others, or in slang terms "breaking thier backs", a term referenced with 'spinal cracker'.
"Feet down below his knee" also makes refernce to his stubborn, uncompromising desire to do things his way only with little or no regard for the rest of the band's wishes. To give in was to be seen as being on 'your knees', but John had 'feet below his knees', so there was no way he was going to kneel(stand on his knees) and be subserviant when he could 'stand on his feet' and be the decison-maker.
"Hold you in his armchair (possibly..."arms, yeah...) you can feel his disease" refers to the fact that John's tough exterior persona barely fooled anyone, as his self-loathing and self-doubt, fueled and magnified by increasingly excessive drug use began to consume him. To be close to , or to 'hold him in your arm...' was to know the real John, where one could 'feel his disease'.
Verse #4:
"HE ROLLER COASTER,
HE GOT EARLY WARNING.
HE GOT MUDDY WATER,
HE ONE MOJO FILTER.
HE SAY ONE AND ONE AND ONE IS THREE
GOT TO BE GOOD LOOKING 'CAUSE HE'S SO HARD TO SEE"
Well, last of the four is Paul, and this is clearly all about Paul.
'Roller coaster' refers to Paul's aggravating habit to the rest of the band by constantly changing his stated desire to either break up and move on to a solo career or to remain as a band and contue on as the 'Beatles'.
'Early warning' makes reference to the fact that they all made it clear to Paul long before that his selfish, superior attitide was going to create a rift between them and in fact it finally did.
'Muddy water' describes the bad feelings and growing poor relationship between Paul and the rest of the band due to his constant lying and manipulation of them, and particularly about his attempts to convince the others to let his father-in-law manage the band as opposed to the choice the others made.
'Mojo filter' refers to Paul's habit of 'spin doctoring' information to the others and manipulating thier perceptions so as to ultimately get his way.
'One and one and one is three' refers to Paul's attempts to try and convince the others that if he did indeed leave the band and start a solo career, they remaining three could carry on and continue to be 'the Beatles' without him, contray to everyone else's opinion.
'Got to be good looking...': a straightforward reference to the fact that he was typically considered the 'cute, good looking one' of the group.
'...so hard to see' desribes the increasing time away from the rest of the band that Paul was spending on persoanl projects, to the detriment of any possible group projects.
So, there you have it! -
2TOP RATED
Bazza Jan 8th 2009, 07:04 report
I have studied this song at great lengths and I think that many theories listed here (concerning the song being about band members) are correct but the confusion lies in trying to apportion one verse to one band member.
I believe we need to view the song as a need by John to settle differences and reunite the band. He (at the time) was seen to be causing difficulties within the band by involving Yoko and his growing benevolent behavior. With Paul expressing his intent to leave and friction growing towards John by both the other band members and the press/public, this was John's attempt to clear the air and lay the cards on the table.
Each verse contains John's view of ALL band members and follows a pattern, the exception being Ringo who seems to be the target of that old joke, "The drummer never has anything interesting to say!" The first line being about John's first meeting with the member. The second line concerning a memorable theme of the band member. The third line is about John's feelings towards the other members at the height hostilities. The forth line portrays the current thoughts John has about the other members. And the last line of every verse is either criticism defense or criticism of John by the band.
The first line of every verse is about Paul, the first to join John's band. ("The Quarrymen" at the time)
Lines -
1 - Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly
2 - He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football
3 - He bad (not bag) production he got walrus gumboot
4 - He roller-coaster he got early warning
Interpretation -
1 - Paul met John at a gig and was trying to act cool and older than his age and impress with his guitar playing skills (He was only 15 at the time)
2 - In reference to the shoeless Abbey Rd. picture.
3 - Paul would stop recording (production) to argue and fight with John and was unhappy with the his behavior whilst recording "I Am The Walrus"
4 - "Roller-coaster" referring to Paul's moods (up and down) and his "warning" about leaving the band.
The second line of every verse is about George. The second to join after being introduced to John by Paul.
Lines -
1 - He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
2 - He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola
3 - He got ono sideboard he one spinal cracker
4 - He got muddy water he one mojo filter
Interpretation -
1 - "Joo-joo eyeball" is in relation to George idolizing John before he was excepted into the band and attending every performance and "eyeballing" John at every gig. The "holy roller" refers to George's amazing grasp of both American blues/gospel and rock and roll bass lines at only 14!
2 - This line refers to George's drug use.
3 - "Ono" obviously refers to Yoko. George was known to sideline (sideboard) Yoko during Paul's outbursts to John about her involvement with the band and John is calling him spineless for doing so (Spinal cracker).
4 - This line is about George switching off and distancing himself from the troubles within the band, filtering the bad "mojo" but acting despondent feeling the blues (Muddy Waters reference)
The third line of every verse is about Ringo. The last member to join the band after replacing Pete Best.
Lines -
1 - He got hair down to his knee
2 - He say "I know you, you know me"
3 - He got feet down below his knee
4 - He say "one and one and one is three"
Interpretation -
1 - Ringo had long hair at a time when the others had gone for the famous bowl cut and when sitting at the drums, his hair would hang down to (well, not quite) his knees.
2- This line is in reference to the hard time he had after joining the band. Pete Best had a huge following that protested Ringo replacing him. As it was, Ringo had played at many gigs with the Beatles when Best was unable or unwilling to play!
3 - This is a joke about not being able to see Ringo below the waist when sitting behind the drum kit.
4 - This line is about both a reference to rhythm and Ringo's feelings that he was left out and isolated from the other three members decisions regarding the band.
The forth line of every verse is related to John himself, containing both criticisms of him by the others and a rebuttal.
Lines -
1 - Got to be a joker he just do what he please
2 - One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
3 - Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
4 - Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see
Interpretation -
1,2 & 4 - These lines are criticisms of John made by the other band members. They relate to his difficult behavior, dragging the others down and general hostility towards him.
2 - This line is both very interesting and crucial to the interpretation of the whole song! It is the only line in which "I" is used. This is John speaking directly to the band (and us, the listener). It is a rebuttal and an excuse for his behavior. It is his only explanation to the feelings the others have towards him. He is feeling stifled by the band and is possibly ready to leave.
The chorus -
Come together, right now. Over me.
It seems clear at first, "come together, right now". It demands an end the the current hostility, immediately. We know John was commissioned to write a song for Timothy Leary and his campaign but John got no further than the title when Leary was arrested and I believe that the words "come together" stuck a resonance with John at that time. The last part, "Over me" offers two outcomes to the bands current situation. The first having holding the meaning "get over me", put the past behind and we can continue happily together. The second meaning can be interpreted as "I'm over", announcing John's intent to leave the band and go his own way.
Thankyou for reading and I hope my views on this song and the man who wrote it may ring true to you.
Peace. -
3TOP RATED
anonymous Dec 17th 2005, 01:52 report
This is just me... but listening to the lyrics, I wonder if John is not describing the Beatles in the song... 4 verses, 4 beatles... The 3rd verse (walrus gumboot) describes John (ono sideboards, walrus gumboot, feel his disease), the first vers (here come ol flattop) describes George (joo-joo eyeball, holy roller, He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please), the 4th verse perhaps about Ringo (early warning, one and one and one is three could deal with drums and rythm, and Got to bee good looking cause he's so hard to see is because Ringo was always behind the drumset.), and the 2nd verse about Paul (monkey finger, like a bass player,) But I don't know. I'm just playin around. -
Andreisdaman Mar 28th, 01:07 report
I think everyone here is on the right track with some exceptions. Ono Sideboard just basically means that Yoko is always at his side,and is his sidekick.
The very last line a is big dig at Paul. John is saying "got to be good-looking cause he's so hard to see". This means that Paul is a tough person to read and that you're never sure if Paul is doing things for the Group's benefit or his own. John is saying that if Paul wasn't good-looking you wouldn't be able to see him for what he really is, and that Paul is only noticed because he's handsome. -
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anonymous Nov 9th 2012, 00:09 report
I only read the first part and already knew this was going to be full of bullshit. Ringo's ability was not limited, and certainly not "borderline acceptable". In fact Ringo Starr was already one of the most known drummers in liverpool at the time. The rest of the beatles themselves have said that they felt like playing with a star when ringo had just joined the band. (He was the drummer of the band "Rory Storm and the Hurricanes" which was very well known at the time and he was known to be an extraordinary drummer). IF you dont believe me maybe you'll believe the Beatles. this is the first episode of the series "the Beatles Anthology" the whole episode is very interesting but the part which is important for this is from the minute 53. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_wiKO2QaO8
dont talk down on music legends that deserve your respect. -
anonymous Nov 6th 2012, 21:33 report
i think it has to do with a person before going to war in vietnam during it and after...
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anonymous Oct 15th 2012, 20:33 report
I love all these interpretations and all.
But I honestly think this song is about God.
I'm too lazy to explain my reason/ but ever since I was little I thought they were personifying God if he were a human just like us.
It makes sense to me c:
I'm an athiest, but I love this song to death. -
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anonymous Aug 25th 2012, 03:00 report
Here's the answer key:
Yes, Come Together started out as a Timothy Leary campaign song. But in Lennon's own words "I never got around to it and wrote 'Come Together' instead."
Each verse is John's view of each member.
verse 1 George 2 Ringo 3 John 4 Paul
verse 1 George
Here comes old flattop - George collected guitars and nicknamed his Fender Stratacaster Flattop Guitar Rocky.
He comes grooving up slowly - George's personality: Calm, collected and under control. He's in tune and moving at his own pace.
He got joo joo eyeball - Eyeball singular refers to the 3rd eye of spiritual awareness. Joo Joo means magic in the Voo Doo religion. The mystical magical 3rd eye of Kirshna spiritual awareness.
He's one holy roller - George's spiritual awareness was not Christian. Harrison embraced Indian culture and Hinduism in the mid 60's.
He got hair down to his knees - when sitting in the yoga position to meditate
his hair nearly touched his knees.
He got to be a Joker he just do what he please. - not a joker in the prankster sense, remember this is from John's point of view. John was an emotional hipster, George was cool, calm and collected. John ran hot, George ran cool. John marveling at how things that upset him seemingly rolled off George like water off a duck. Really? Paul's antics don't upset you, you got to be joking!...You got to be a Joker to just take it and go about your business and just do what you please.
verse 2 Ringo
He wears no shoeshine - unpolished, what you see is what you get kind of guy.
He got monkey finger - he's kind of clumsy
He got toe jam football - likes soccer [sport of the common man in England]
He shoot coca cola - Ringo's favorite drink was Scotch & Coke. In 1969 coca-cola approached the Beatles to shoot commercials.
Though a commercial was never made, still shots from photo shoot still exist. To John's artistic sense shooting a commercial would be selling out. This song was written in 1969 Ringo's willingness to endorse coca-cola is fresh in John's mind. Absolutely nobody was shooting cocaine in the 60's certainly not any of the Beatles. The drugs of the 60's grass, heroin and LSD. Cocaine came later in the 70's.
He say "I know you you know me" - Ringo filled in for Peter Best on drumms when Best would miss gigs, when Best finally quit, Ringo was his replacement because of his familiarity not because of his talent.
"I know you you know me" sums up why he was their drummer. At the time he wasn't the best drummer available, but he was dependable. In John's view Ringo was a reliable common man, a bit crude and clumsy, but he got the job done.
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free - common sense advice by Ringo when Paul and John each talked about going solo or because John subconsciously thought of himself as better than the other 3 especially Ringo, he subconsciously inserts his excuse for his own bad behavior. Afterall it is the only line in the entire song using "I" as though the writer is speaking. In a playboy interview John humbly stated he grew up a 1/2 class higher than the others because they grew up in public housing and his parents owned their own home with a yard. Doing a magazine interview he knows anything he says will be public, so of course he would down play class difference. My analysis is subconsciously John thought of himself as at least 1 and a 1/2 classes better than Scotch & Coke drinking Ringo.
verse 3 John
He bag production - John saying "Nailed it" I bagged it as in a big game hunter bagging a trophy buck.
He got walrus gumboot - John was proud he wrote I am the Walrus.
He got Ono sideboard - Yoko Ono was his wife, his sideboard or support.
He's one spinal cracker - a back breaker, a hard man.
He got feet down below his knees - stands on his own two feet, bows a knee to no man or thing. A direct contrast to George in verse 1 sitting, meditating [bended knees] with hair down to his knees.
Hold you in his arm chair - perhaps hold you in his arms yeah [still same meaning]
You can feel his disease -
Holding one in your arms you could feel them sobbing when they cry. Crying is a symptom of emotional illness. The sickness is from the strife and turmoil within the group. Sick & tired of all the in fighting.
In his presence you can feel his disease, those close to him can feel his pain.
Come together - calling the group to unite.
Right now - time is of the essence
Over Me - subconsciously John thinks only of himself....it's all about ME.
John was not as good a man as what he thought himself to be. He basicly abandoned his 1st wife Cynthia and his 4 year old son Julian. He gave her a lump sum out of court divorce settlement of less than $200,000. He saw so little of Julian growing up that Julian later stated Paul was more of a father figure in his life than John.
Of the 4 verses the only verse that didn't contain anything negative about the person was the verse he wrote about himself. His "disease" was John being a "poor me baby" look what I have to put up with, he plays the martyr. John views himself as a self made, back breaker of a man, standing on his own two feet and bends no knee to anyone with no need of God. Remember his infamous quote about the Beatles being bigger than Jesus? Clearly he likes George the best of the other 3, but he views him as his opposite, but weak and not his equal.
He's dismissive of Ringo as ordinary and not as evolved as him
self. Paul has talent and John knows it, but doesn't like him, saying what good is it to follow a leader that goes in a circle. That he saves his harshest criticism for Paul to end the song speaks volumes.
verse 4 Paul
He roller coaster - he has a roller coaster personality
He got early warning - right from the start when they met as teenagers
He got muddy water - he's got the blues
He's one mojo filter - Paul's buzz kill attitude interferes with the band's creative juices.
He say "One and one and one is three" - Paul had already talked about going solo, and said IF he did, the 3 remaining could carry on just fine without him.
Got to be good looking 'cause he's so hard to see. - Paul was known as the cute Beatle. John is saying it's a good thing Paul is good looking because there is little inside him to see or worth seeing, that Paul lacks depth as a human.
Come Together is a favorite of mine. It's an example of the sum being greater than it's individual parts. Ringo's drumming is super, George's guitar, always good but especially at the end, John's voice, Paul's aid in composing it all just blends so well together.
If anyone feels I missed something, I'm willing to listen. -
anonymous Aug 16th 2012, 04:09 report
Actually the first verse is George and the second one is Ringo. "He one holy roller" refers to George's connection to Indian religion. "He got toe jam football
He got monkey finger" refers to Ringo as the joker of the group. -
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sid_9000 Dec 29th 2011, 09:40 report
The following is an interpretation of "Come Together" from The Beatles' "Abbey Road" album:
• First and foremost, James Paul McCartney died on November 9, 1966, in a tragic auto accident or plane crash that rendered him decapitated.
• He was replaced by a remarkable lookalike named William Campbell or William Shepherd (who went by the nickname "Billy"); he was also an accomplished professional musician. He was allegedly the winner of an unheralded McCartney lookalike contest soon after Paul's death. It's possible this impostor was also a former Canadian policeman based on the "OPD" or Ontario Police Department patch stitched to Paul's costume on the cover of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
• The Beatles were still in peak form, so it had been determined that the band would continue. "The show must go on", as they say, despite Paul's premature death.
• British royalty and the MI5 (British intelligence) agreed to partake in the cover-up (along with The Beatles and recording company at the time) in an effort to prevent mass hysteria, culture shock and even suicides. I'm sure the royal family appreciated the massive tax revenues that The Beatles generated, too.
• The Beatles were a massive hit-machine producing an unprecedented number of record sales at the time. There was absolutely no reason to stop. Moreover, the tax revenues they produced for the state, that is, THE QUEEN, may explain why the royal family was involved in the cover-up. As the old adage goes, "the answer to 99% of all questions is MONEY".
• Campbell/Shepherd may have been the leader of a band named Billy Pepper and the Pepperpots, whereby his stage name was Billy Shepherd. (Please note the "Sgt. Pepper" and "Billy Shears" connection.) Good luck trying to dig up an old 45 on this band. This theory remains largely unclear and speculative.
• Campbell/Shepherd wrote most of the so-called Mersey scene music in the band, which also covered a few prominent Beatles songs during this period in the early 60s. For all we know they may have been an early Beatles cover band before it became fashionable.
• There's a seemingly out of place photo of Campbell/Shepherd on "The Beatles" (the "White Album"). He's pictured wearing glasses and sporting a mustache. This picture that was used for the Sergeant Pepper character.
• Campbell/Shepherd had undergone plastic surgery, especially in the nose, chin, lips, eyes and cheeks. You may see "Faul" (short for "fake Paul" as John Lennon would call him) in caricature form on "Magical Mystery Tour" with a deep red nose, quite customary of plastic surgery.
• It's clearly not the real Paul McCartney reappearing in 1967. He's about 1½" taller and the ear lobes are different (attached versus unattached).
• The Beatles deliberately left many clues surrounding Paul's death on every album starting with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as a way of coping with their collective grief.
• Why would they do this? Who in their right mind would concoct such a vile hoax - besides big governments - unless it were actually true? This was all very deliberate. The Beatles and those standing to gain the most all agreed to take a lifelong vow of silence, undoubtedly for many valid reasons including all of the following: 1) money; 2) they'd most assuredly be hated and regarded as frauds if they were exposed; 3) the MI5 had threatened to KILL them if anyone let the cat out of the bag; and almost as important, 4) The Beatles' mystique would be lost forever.
Again, why stop the gravy train?
So the song "Come Together" was written by John Lennon from Paul's perspective, you know, a dead person narrating from the grave as in a movie like "Sunset Boulevard". Paul says, "Come together right now, over me", meaning at his grave site (in what is believed to be an unmarked grave in either Strawberry Fields or Blackpool).
Please note: The second line in each of the following verses refers to the REAL James Paul McCartney. To wit:
• The first verse is clearly about George Harrison and Paul's closest friend:
"Here come old flat top" - A clear-cut reference to Chuck Berry, whom George greatly admired by singing one of his hit songs "Roll Over Beethoven".
"He come grooving up slowly" - According to the The Beatles "Anthology", John stated that he immediately recognized Paul's musical skills with his rendition of Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock". Maybe this is what John meant by "grooving" since Cochran was a noted cool rocker of the 50s, though it's not mentioned whether Paul's decision was made quickly. John did invite him to watch his band perform, so maybe Paul needed a little more time to think it over.
"He got joo joo eyeball" - Possibly a dual meaning - his weakness for candy as in "Savoy Truffle", but also giving the evil eye, especially during the "Abbey Road" recording session and the filming of "Let It Be" (which George hated). Even by George's admission, he regarded the whole studio experience as his own "winter of discontent."
"He one holy roller" - This refers to George's connection to the spiritual world.
"He got hair down to his knee" - He had the longest hair of all The Beatles during the "Abbey Road" days.
"Got to be a joker he just do what you please" - It got to the point where George wanted out and didn't care about The Beatles anymore. He mentions this very fact in "The Beatles Anthology", interestingly, starting with "Sgt. Pepper".
• Verse two is about Ringo Starr:
"He wear no shoe shine" - As the drummer always in the back during the Beatlemania years, he pounded away with shoes never requiring polish to scuff up the white skin on the bass drum. The other three needed their shoes to shine performing in the front to their throngs of screaming fans.
"He got toe jam football" - A direct reference to Paul's rugby playing days, wherein the term "toe jam football" is often cited as a nickname for rugby. Apparently, Paul received a rugby trophy during his youth and it appears in the letter "L" on the grave site cover art of "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band".
"He got monkey finger" - This could be a reference to Issac Asimov's short story entitled "The Monkey's Finger" whereby a trained monkey is instructed to write what he is told. Likewise, Ringo is specifically instructed to drum in the particular style of a song.
"He shoot Coca-Cola" - Possibly two references: Scotch and Coke (a favorite elixir) or Ringo's later massive consumption of cocaine.
"He say I know you, you know me, one thing I can tell you is you got to be free" - Ringo was always going on about peace and love, arguably the most laid back of all The Beatles.
• "Come together right now over me" - Paul requesting his former bandmates at his graveside.
• The third verse is all about John:
"He bag production" - John and Yoko were involved in bizarre performance art known as "Bagism", whereby they were holed-up in an apartment, called the media and performed interviews from inside a large white sack.
"He got walrus gumboot" - A gum boot is an over-sized rubber boot used by plumbers and such. Perhaps he was trying to say that Paul was deep in the whole walrus controversy. After all, "the walrus was Paul" as it was clearly stated in "Glass Onion" on the white album.
"He got Ono sideboard" - Obviously referring to Yoko Ono constantly at his side during the recording sessions.
"He one spinal cracker" - John is a "back-breaker", someone painfully difficult to deal with.
"He got feet down below his knee, hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease" - An extremely stubborn person who would not kowtow - or KNEEL - to anyone. Moreover, if you got close to him, you'd understand this.
• "Come together right now over me" - Paul, again, from the grave. Then, interestingly enough, there is a guitar solo before the final verse, about "Faul" the impostor:
"He roller coaster" - Could be a reference to the lines in "Helter Skelter" regarding his decisions for creative direction of the band. Mind you, Faul, albeit a great impostor, was also an unexpectedly brilliant songwriter who undoubtedly secured his place in the band.
"He got early warning" - In order to effectively be an impostor, Faul was required to undergo plastic surgery and threatened with his life by the MI5 if he were to expose the ruse. Moreover, the other three had different ideas about where The Beatles were headed and subsequently gave Faul an ultimatum regarding the band's management. The plan was to use up approximately fifty songs composed by John and Paul, and then quit the band, which they did. However, Faul continued the facade and was then protected by the MI5 because he saw the golden opportunity to get incredibly rich using another man's name. Listen to John's "Baby You're a Rich Man" and "How Do You Sleep?" and you'll see what I mean. But also listen to Faul's "Too Many People" where he sings, "Too many reaching for a piece of cake."
"He got Muddy Water" - This one is tricky, so I did a little more research and discovered another possible reason how Paul actually died. I found the following:
Yes, Paul was involved in an earlier car accident on a typically seasonal rainy day. His car failed to stop in time and hit a van, but was NOT serious enough to do any real damage. During the crash Paul lost his top-wig and busted a few teeth. (Yes, they donned wigs during the Beatlemania days.)
Paul later phoned Ringo to tell him what had happened and that he would meet him later. Soon after the telephone call the police arrived and Paul decided to take a taxi home. The next morning, Ringo tried to call Paul but couldn't get in touch with him. Paul's steps had been retraced through friends but nobody had seen or heard from him.
Later in the week, one of Ringo's friends had called to say that people he knew had seen Paul in France. They all flew to Paris, but Paul was no longer in the place where he was seen before. A few more days had passed, when a call was received from a girl, that days before, had found Paul near her house, wandering along a hill in a confused state with a damaged leg, lacking personal documents and cash. It was at this time when Brian Epstein went to retrieve Paul and on Sunday they started their trip back home. From that day forward no more news was heard about EITHER of them for days.
It was very early in the Wednesday morning of the week after that a phone call was received to identify Paul's body, found on a beach near Outreau, North France. They were in a fatal plane crash, whereby Paul was mangled, decapitated and entirely unrecognizable almost looking "like a walrus", according to one of the medical examiners on the scene. Brian was still in the plane.
So perhaps the "Muddy Water" reference specifically refers to the "muddy waters" where Paul was found dead as a result of a plane crash? Many people think that this is precisely how Paul and Brian met their ultimate demise.
Bear in mind another story, somewhat far-fetched, whereby Brian Epstein was taken hostage by gangsters for ransom money, and Paul was an incidental victim in the crime. There's compelling evidence for this, which still requires more research.
"He one Mojo filter" - Obviously referring to Faul's buzzkill attitude since joining The Beatles, his demanding and pushy ways, contrary to Paul's affable nature...or MOJO.
"He say, 'One and one and one is three.' Got to be good looking 'cause he so hard to see" - Of course one and one and one is George and Ringo and John, the surviving Beatles at the time. Paul was always known as the "cute Beatle", so his replacement had to be a good-looking one, too. Faul was it.
Come together right now over me.
Come together (repeated)- Paul fading away.
There ya go. Ringo Starr is the ONLY original Beatle still alive. -
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anonymous Dec 23rd 2011, 10:37 report
in 1969, The Beatles started work on the John Lennon song ‘Come Together’ at Abbey Road studios in London. The inspiration of the song come’s from Timothy Leary’s gubernatorial campaign for governor of California titled “Come together, join the party” against which former president?
Answer: Ronald Reagan
ok so now are u all done trying to find what this song was about now lol there words not just random people trying to talk about songs they will never know the meaning of or y they wrote it take the facts not what your head pulls from it(on that note take what u want just dont post stupid none facts ) 1+1+1=3 the number of men running for the seat not members of the band -
anonymous Dec 23rd 2011, 10:22 report
this song had nothing to do with the band it was wrote as a campaign song for a man running against ronald reagan for the cali gov. set in the 60's point and fact people read to much into music!!!!!!!!!!!!
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anonymous Oct 28th 2011, 09:44 report
I'm not sure about anything except the first line, "Here come ol' flattop"...
It's borrowed from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me"...
And I think that I've heard that some of the other lines has to do with "Paul is dead"... -
anonymous Aug 28th 2011, 21:22 report
JOhn Lennon did write this for Timothy Learry ( the Drug guru in the 60's) during his campagin for governnor. To me the line " one and one and one is three". means the other 3 beatles John, George, and Ringo have solo careers. They didn't want to break up quite yet because, they wanted to leave everyone with a great album, and they did Abbey Road. Although Let It Be is the offical last album. John pause when sing one, and one, and one is three as if the three are now solo artists.
-
anonymous Aug 22nd 2011, 18:58 report
Here come old flattop he come grooving up slowly Paul
Referring to Paul as the band cop or as someone that tells them what to do and the one that plays bass
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller George
Referring to George, who was known to eyeball John prior to joining the band, and his religious convictions
He got hair down to his knee John
John Referring to himself as the one with the longest hair
Got to be a joker he just do what he please Ringo
This could be either a reference to Ringo’s goofy nature or a Reference to Pete Best who was known to not show up for shows, which prompted them to bring in Ringo, who filled in for Best when he didn’t show.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
He wear no shoeshine he got toe-jam football Paul
Paul is rumored to like being barefoot
He got monkey finger he shoot coca-cola George
A reference to George’s drug use
He say "I know you, you know me" Ringo
This is in reference to Ringo joining the band by being a familiar face, having filled in for Pete Best on many occasions.
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free John
John’s views about freedom being expressed
Come together right now over me
------------------------------------------------------------------------
He bag production he got walrus gumboot Paul
In reference to Paul’s attitude during recording sessions, his bossiness often led to the others walking out of the session.
He got Ono sideboard he one spinal cracker John
John criticizing himself as a backbreaker often with Yoko on his side.
He got feet down below his knee Ringo
Referring to Ringo who was not often seen from the waist down due to his drumset.
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease George
Another drug reference to george. His armchair is the chair where he would sit in to inject himself, it also refers to him sharing drugs with others who would sit with him.
Come together right now over me
------------------------------------------------------------------------
He roller-coaster he got early warning John
Referring to the ups and downs John experienced as a Beatle and the warnings he got from Paul expressing his desire to leave the group.
He got muddy water he one mojo filter George
Muddy Water refers to heroin being cooked up and George trying to stop the fighting through spiritual methods.
He say "One and one and one is three" Paul
This is Paul telling the rest of the band they can go on without him.
Got to be good-looking 'cause he's so hard to see Ringo
Referring to the often obstructed view of Ringo from behind the drumset and being at the back of the stage.
Come together right now over me. Could be John asking the band to just keep it together for him.
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anonymous Jul 28th 2011, 08:56 report
I thought that the accepted theory was that the song was about Keith Richards.
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oracle Jul 27th 2011, 06:34 report
old flat top is a nickname
for jesus I'll discuss this nickname more later on....
he say "one and one and one is three"
is a reference to the trinity
got to be good looking cause he's so
hard to see...
when are we to interpret lyrics in a literal sense?...as a metaphor?
as sarcasm? as prophecy or something else entirely?
this line about being hard to see implies that Jesus has already returned and is hard to see...it goes a step further than
biblical verses encouraging us to be watchful for jesus' return.
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A_Believer Jul 24th 2011, 00:29 report
Just to show that one can find lots of meanings in lyrics (especially John Lennon's) Below is my
analysis of "Come Together" where I show how the song is referring to Jesus Christ and not just
the four Beatles.
C O M E T O G E T H E R by The Beatles
Here come old flattop, With a halo He would be a "Flattop" or look like a "square"
He come grooving up slowly, His popularity developed over 30 years
He got joo-joo eyeball, Jew-Jew eyeballs - He was a Jew - Luke 2:21
He one holy roller, Holy roller - rolled away the stone - Acts 4:27, Mark 16:4
He got hair down to his knees, He was a Nazarene who wore long hair - Matt. 2:23
Got to be a joker, In cards a Joker trumps a King (King of Kings)- Rev.17:14
he just do what he please. He's God. He can do anything - Matt 19:26
He wear no shoeshine, Wears sandals not shoes - Mark 6:9
He got toe-jam football Another reference to bare feet - John 13:10
He got monkey finger, Jews ate with their hands (fingers) - Mark 7:3
He shoot Coca-Cola, He was popular and drank the popular drink of the day - wine
He say, "I know you, John 5:42
You know me", John 7:28
One thing I can tell you is, Luke 18:22
You got to be free. The truth will set you free! - John 8:32
Come together right now over me Refers to His ascension - Acts 1:6
He bad production, Or is it "bag" production? Rulers thought He was "bad"
He got walrus gumboot, No meaning in Walrus and gumboot - Anything spiritual here?
He got Ono sideboard, This has meaning only if Ono was praying to Jesus (The Judge)
He one spinal cracker, Refers to a Chiropracter, "Hand Healer" - Mark 6:5
He got feet down below his knees, A pun. He had 2 feet (24") below his knees as others kneeled
Hold you in his armchair, When you are close to Him; He was a carpenter - Mark 6:3
You can feel his disease. Sarcasm - you can feel His power - Luke 8:46
Come together right now over me Acts 1:6
He roller-coaster, Oscillation refers to Jesus is the Light - John 12:35
He got early warning, He warned of the coming judgment - Col.1:28
He got muddy water, He used spittal and clay (mud) in healing - John 9:11
He one mojo filter, He is the only "filter" to God the Father - John 14:6
He say,
"One and one and one is three" Refers to triune God (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) - 1 Jn.5:7
Got to be good-looking All the pictures seem to paint Him that way - Matt.17:2
Because he's so hard to see. Jesus is invisible now as God is invisible - 1 Tim 1:17
Come together right now over me Acts 1:6
In His Grace,
A Believer -
anonymous Jul 11th 2011, 00:25 report
"A 'sideboard' is the term used when attorneys would be called away from a trial during court for private discussion. "Ono sideboard" makes refernce to the growing distraction that the rest of the band felt Yoko Ono was having on John. "
You are incorrect, that is a sideBAR, not a sideboard.
A sideboard is a piece of furniture, like a buffet.
Silly.
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